It is rumored that the State Regional Transit Authority Oversight Committee decisions concerning RTA funding does not include a weekend or evening service for Franklin County bus service.
Is this because of their expert opinions or because we haven’t the political clout to get what is needed and deserved out here? The state documented our needs and suggested remedies. Why mandate repeated studies that reaffirm what logic tells us, that is a public transportation service does not fulfill its mission without night or weekend service.
We would further state that disproportionate access to transportation puts large parts of our western Mass. population at a disadvantage without access to education, jobs, food, heath services and housing, making this an inequity of human rights.
This is the reason we many took a day of action on Feb. 4, Rosa Parks’ birthday, Transit Equity Day.
Russ Fisher
Northfield
I am a Precinct 1 voter and pray to God that Verne Sund does not resign because of an absurd petition brought about by his honest “New Library” questions.
The “New Library” question has been fraught with deceit and deception since it was first brought to the fore. A new library is to be built where the fire station is now located? And pray tell, where is the fire station supposed to go? At what taxpayer cost?
These projects have a mutual dependency and should be discussed together. Why is the proposed new library one third bigger than the existing? Especially when technology is doing away with printed books.
My wife and I, along with many of our friends, use Kindles. Between the two of us we read over 100 books a year. I know we could use a new library, but are we building a museum for printed books instead?
As for visits to the library, how many were multiple same day, same person visits? Usage may not be what the figures say they are.
Getting back to the recall petition. This is still Massachusetts, and just like old Salem, burning at the stake remains popular.
Ed Fleming
Greenfield